


The Midnight Man

by momstiel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Flirting, Cheesy, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, One Shot, RS Fireside Tales, Spooky, Suspense, coffee shop owner sirius black, homeless remus lupin, like really bad, like straight out of a middleschooler's mouth kinda bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-10-16 06:45:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17544698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momstiel/pseuds/momstiel
Summary: Shift almost over? Check.Chairs on tables? Check.Counters cleaned and floors swept? Check.Strange figure lurking outside the shop? … Check?Or, the story of how one nameless face waltzes into Sirius Black’s life and turns everything from a midnight nightmare to nothing short of a Harlequin romance novel.





	The Midnight Man

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to @Adzel for beta-reading it and the hosts of RS Fireside Tales for creating such of an interesting and fun fest!

The rain splattered heavily against the grimy glass windows of Grimmauld Cafe, just hard enough to stop any flow of customers from coming into the shop on that dreary July night. A heavy glow from the flickering street lights illuminated the damp and vacant sidewalk, further validating the storm’s repercussions. 

 

Bored fingers tapped the wooden counter in sync with the flashing ‘open’ sign plastered on the door. The hand was attached to an exhausted Sirius Black,  almost looking out of place in the lifeless shop. People like him belonged in nightclubs on Saturday nights, not in abandoned coffee stores. 

 

A loud crack of thunder broke Sirius out of his moping, his grey eyes jolting up at the window. He almost jumped back in surprise when a strange figure came into view, trudging down the abandoned sidewalk with a barely noticeable limp. Sirius sucked in a breath as a sense of uneasiness swept over his body.  As the creature approached, he could make out the shape of a heavily coated man. 

 

For a few minutes, all Sirius did was watch with curiosity as the man let himself into the building. A small bell on the door uselessly alerted him of the other’s arrival - as if his eyes hadn’t been cautiously glued to him the whole time. With the shop closing in thirty minutes, Sirius really hadn’t expected any other guests. It was terrible weather, a minute past midnight, and the coffee shop was placed in a rather slummy part of town. Nobody in their right minds would have been in Grimmauld cafe at this hour, yet here they were. 

 

Finally, Sirius found his voice and called out to the man. The other seemed to have no interest in ordering anything, just tucking himself away in a booth away from the front door. Maybe it should have been a key indicator to leave him alone, but Sirius was never really that good at keeping his mouth shut anyway. “Awful night we’re having, aren’t we?” 

 

For the first time that evening, Sirius caught a clear look at the other man’s face. It was dirty, and a single scar laced across the bridge of his nose. He had hollow cheeks, and dark bags, but his amber eyes sparkled with boyish wonder despite it all.  His face was unique, and Sirius was instantly drawn in. 

 

“Not unlike any other night here in London,” The man responded with a thick Welsh accent. He was dressed in a heavy winter coat, a scarf, and his jeans had sewn patches onto them. There was something utterly fascinating about him. His face was ragged, yet terribly handsome, and it took Sirius a few minutes to register he was staring. 

 

Sirius let out a small chuckle, a grin on his lips. For a few seconds, he had forgotten about the storm - but another round of thunder and lightning snapped him back into reality. His eyes fell onto the clock, realizing it was ten past midnight. Under any other circumstance, Sirius would have been itching to start closing up his shop. He hated dealing with those customers who would fly into his shop like tumbleweed within the last thirty minutes. However, he took pity on the man because of the shitshow outside. Nobody deserved to be drenched like a rat on nights like these. 

 

“Do you want coffee?” Sirius finally offered when the silence became unbearable once again. The man had started to shake his head and politely refuse, but he continued to speak, “-On the house, I mean. I’m going to have to start closing shop soon and might as well get rid of the remaining coffee before I have to clean it all out.” 

 

Given these new circumstances, the stranger nodded and decided to accept the offered liquid. Sirius wasted no time getting started on the coffee, feeling slightly more at ease when the whirring sound of the machine filled the vicinity. It brought him to a safer time - just a few years in the past.  It reminded him of all the nights James would visit him during his shifts and make the horrid cafe seem a bit more tolerable. 

 

A loud rumble of thunder echoed outside, bringing Sirius back to the current day.  “Shit-” He mumbled when he realized he had poured too much coffee into the overflowing cup. As he scrambled around to find a rag to clean up the excess, his eyes flickered up to make sure that the stranger hadn’t seen his fluke. 

 

If the muffled chuckle had meant anything, Sirius could only assume that his mistake had not gone unnoticed by the stranger. He quickly cleaned up the mess before capping the liquid. Trying to regain some of his inherited grace, Sirius held his head up high as he brought the coffee over. Much to his disappointment, the man’s words indicated that his blunder was still very much fresh in the other’s mind. “Thank you, I hope it wasn’t too much of a hassle.” 

 

“Eh, nothing I can’t handle,” Sirius reassured, turning on his heel and going over to the counter. Once he was back, safely hidden behind the wooden object, he let out a heavy sigh. He hadn’t even realized he was holding his breath until he let it go. 

 

For the next ten minutes, neither men said a single word.  If it wasn’t for the sound of unrelenting rain and the faint hiss emitting from the neon sign, an uneasy silence would have made itself at home. Sirius watched with curiosity as the strange man carelessly brought the cup to his lips. There was something lax about the way he moved that had Sirius mesmerized.  Dark bags were formed under those dull brown eyes, and his pale skin was dirty and covered in scars. He was thin, too thin to be healthy, Sirius was sure of it. The clothing that was draped over his small frame was battered, a few sizes too big. Yet, at the same time, he moved so casually, as if he wasn’t being weighed down by any of it. 

 

Over half an hour ago he should have started stacking the chairs on top of the tables, but he had been distracted first by the raging storm and then by the mystery man. Sirius cursed under his breath, getting up and trying to make up for lost time. What was he even doing? On regular nights, he was counting down to the minutes when he’d be able to leave his shift. It was basically unheard of for him to be so unprepared to leave. Refocusing his attention to his job, and not the captivating stranger, he slipped out to the floor and began to stack chairs. As he finished up, he barely registered the faint sound of a door shutting over the roar of the storm. 

 

Sirius looked towards the entrance, catching the figure of a man exiting and hurrying down the drenched sidewalk. He blinked, instinctively turning and glancing back at the booth the stranger had been sitting at, only to find an empty space. The man slipped out so quietly, Sirius didn’t even have time to stare at his ragged, yet handsome, face on the way out. 

 

That was the first night Sirius saw the midnight man. 

 

Little did he know it would be far from the last.

 

* * *

 

The second time that Sirius Black saw the midnight man was on a chilly Friday night, almost exactly a week after their first encounter. It happened late at night as he wobbled down the trash-covered street, arm in arm with one of his childhood friends, Peter Pettigrew. Ever since James, his best friend,  left the city with his wife two years ago, Sirius found that Peter was becoming more and more frequently his drinking partner. 

 

“God, I’m knackered,” Sirius mumbled, stumbling around, trying not to lean on the smaller boy. There was no way that Peter could support him if he were to fell. He didn’t exactly fancy bringing both him and the other down onto the hard, cold cement. 

 

Peter let out a snort, adjusting his arm so that Sirius didn’t have much of a death grip on it anymore. “I can tell. I think you’re a little bit tipsy,” He mumbled, “Are you sure you’ll be fine home alone? I just don’t fancy taking you home and having Mary find about it tomorrow…” He shifted awkwardly, his cheeks painting themselves an off-shade of red. 

 

Lips loose from alcohol consumption, Sirius let out an audible groan at the mention of  _ Mary.  _ Peter’s fiancee was nothing short of an utter nightmare. She was uptight, raised in a strict Catholic household where she had adopted some outdated views. As a result, it seemed as though the damned woman despised everything Sirius stood for. Time after time, she bugged him over the smallest things - like the length of his hair or the way he sometimes wore eyeliner. However, what really got him going was that she openly disapproved of his sexuality. 

 

The last thing Sirius wanted to do tomorrow  was to wake up with a raging hangover to see Mary’s ugly mug, “Yeah, don’t worry about it, I’m really not that shitfaced.” He lied. He probably was. “I can handle getting myself home and just chilling there.” 

 

Peter’s face visibly relaxed at this information. He squeezed Sirius’s shoulder, “Sweet. I’ve got to get back home, your house is a block  down, think you can manage?” 

 

Sirius gave his friend an incredulous look, “Last time I checked, I’m not five years old, Petey. I think I can handle a small walk to my house.” 

 

A look of sheer amusement crossed Peter’s face, “Could have fooled me.” 

 

Breaking away, Sirius flipped a finger up in the other’s general direction. He then turned back towards his house, “Well, cya later, mate.” 

 

Peter waved briskly before turning on his heel and starting in the other direction. That godawful wench he refers to as a fiancee probably had him on a curfew. Sirius scoffed at the idea of Mary  _ grounding _ her fully grown adult partner. She really would. As he was playing with the idea, he crossed the last street to his block. Maybe if he wasn’t so drunk, or maybe if he wasn’t so lost in thought, he would have noticed a pair of amber eyes locked onto his figure. 

 

It’s hard to say if what happened next would have happened if Peter was still with Sirius, guiding his wasted friend to his household. 

 

As he walked down the sidewalk, he stumbled over something and came crashing down into the cement. “Shit!” He yelped, cursing as he felt a sharp pain in his knee. Sirius reached down to examine the wound, but he stilled as he felt a familiar substance meet his fingertips. Slowly, he lifted his hand to face only to confirm his suspicions. In the weak illumination from the streetlight, he could make out blood. 

 

“Shit… shit…” He repeated like a broken record, shakily getting to his feet. Observing the scene, a broken bottle, glass shards, and a small pool of blood caught Sirius’s eyes. Naturally, in this scummy area, someone just had to litter on the sidewalk. Not that it was much of a surprise anyway, this city was infamous for his trash-covered streets and shady figures. 

 

Gathering himself up in one piece, Sirius began to make his way back to his house. The pain had sobered him up slightly, and now he walked with caution. 

 

Once he finally he reached his quaint residence, he stumbled inside. The heavy door slammed shut behind him. In a daze, Sirius kicked off his shoes and set off to his bathroom. Once he arrived, he flipped on the switch and cursed under his breath when he realized the light was finicky. Like most things in his neighborhood, the lightbulb was only half functional and flickered ominously as if he was in an abandoned building rather than his home. 

 

The rhythmic flashing emitting from the strobe light above him was only accomplishing in frustrating him as he carelessly opened bathroom drawers. There had to be bandages  _ somewhere _ in there. Sirius put a palm to his temples, rubbing irritatedly in a futile attempt to push his oncoming headache away.  Right when Sirius was able to give up and just wrap his leg with a random washcloth, the faint sound of a knock on his door stole his attention. Sirius’s eyes flashed to the clock in the hallway, thanking everything good in the world that it was digital. There was no way he’d be able to remember how to read a traditional clock when he was this pissed. 

 

Furrowing his brow, Sirius straightened his back and walked out of the bathroom and back into the hall that leads to his front door. A familiar sense of paranoia filled him as he realized what time it was. What kind of freak was knocking at three till twelve?  In this town, midnight visitors could never be a good thing. 

 

Maybe in hindsight, it wasn’t the best thinking,  but he grabbed the closest thing he could get his hands on - a combat boot - and held it close to his chest. It was far from an ideal weapon, but if push came to shove he could throw it at the intruder’s face and then lock the door whilst he went to go call 999. Without another thought in the world, he approached his door. He undid the latches and slowly turned the doorknob, peering out into the night sky.

 

Much to his surprise, nobody was standing at the front door. He was greeted with the dark abyss, poorly lit by a nearby flickering street light and his neighbor’s house lights.  Confusion started to swell in his body as he looked both ways, spotting the distant figure of a man disappearing into an alley down the block. For a second, Sirius’s chest constricted with fear as he wondered if the creature had been the explanation behind the mysterious midnight knocking.  _ What was the cause of that?  _

 

Just as Sirius was about to shut the door, religiously lock it, and go and hide away into his bedroom, something caught his eyes. Laying on his front step was a small bundle of bandage wraps. Very slowly, Sirius bent down to pick the item up and observe it. It wasn’t in the best state- some dried dirt was forming at one edge, but it was eerily enough exactly what he needed regardless.  _ Has a superior being finally listened to my wishes?  _

 

Deciding not to dwell on it too much because he was exhausted and drunk out of his mind, he shut the door, locked it, and headed back towards his bedroom. He lazily wrapped up his leg, just enough to stop the bleeding. Then, before he knew it, he was passing out on his bed. 

 

* * *

  
  


Sirius drummed the edges of the counter with his fingers in a bored daze. The shift had gone by slower than usual… or maybe, his recovering hangover had really made every small action a chore. Honestly, it was probably a toxic mix of the two. 

 

He had already packed up Grimmauld Cafe a little sooner than usual - all the chairs were stacked on the tables, the floor swept, and various items rearranged on the counter. With an exasperated groan, he threw his head back. He couldn’t wait until his shift was over and he could leave. It was obvious that nobody else was going to come in, so why even bother pretending? 

 

Just as Sirius was about to seriously consider leaving, the little bell above the door rang. Great. He had to deal with another customer who saw no wrong in coming into a shop minutes before the closing time. His eyes flickered up to see who this godforsaken individual was, only to be met with a familiar face. Silver met amber, and in a moment, Sirius was sent back to the night almost two weeks ago. 

 

Despite the fact it was rather clear out now, Sirius could practically feel chilly air from the heavy rain from all those days ago. He had to check the window to be reassured that there wasn’t a storm brewing outside. Usually, Sirius would feel a sense of bitterness by late-night customers, but there was something about this stranger that was so intriguing. 

 

“I… I hope I’m not bothering you, I didn’t realize that you already put the chairs up,” The man apologized, his voice hoarse due to disuse. He seemed awkward, hovering by the entrance, ready to leave at any given time. 

 

“No, it’s alright. It’s not closing time yet, so technically you’re allowed in,” Sirius replied, no malice in his voice. He was taken back by how polite the question was. Nobody ever bothered to ask that these days. “So, C'mon, sit down and I don’t think it’ll kill me to take one chair off a table.” 

 

A very awkward smile made its way upon the stranger’s lips as he limped towards the closest table to the door. Sirius came out from behind the counter to take down all four chairs from the top even though he knew the other only needed to occupy one. There was an awkward silence where both men just lingered, unsure of how to initiate any further contact. 

 

“I hope you don’t mind me staying here… I really don’t have the extra pocket change to buy a coffee…. But it’s warm in here….” The man began to say as if he needed to explain himself.

 

Sirius shook his head and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms as he listened. “Yeah, I don’t really mind. I don’t blame you… don’t tell anyone… but this place? It’s kind of a shitshow. Prices are jacked, but people just waltz in to buy their six dollar coffee as if it’s no skin off their back.” If those amber eyes revealed anything about how the man felt towards the issue, the confusion and surprise in them was a good giveaway.  “I know, it’s kinda shocking I’m trashing my job whilst still on my shift, but we can keep it our pretty little secret… so really, I don’t blame you for just lounging.” 

 

The corner of the man’s lips curled into a weak, almost amused, smile. “I guess so,” He dipped his head, “Thanks, Sirius.” 

 

A cold chill ran down Sirius’s spine. How in the world did this man know his name? Uncertainty rushed through him, and it must have shown because the man chuckled and added, “I mean, I’m assuming that’s your name if the little pin on your apron shows for anything.” 

 

Sirius felt a strong urge to facepalm. Of course, he could see his nametag! There was something always about this man that made him feel disoriented and act like an utter fool. “That’s me, alright. I’m kind of a star,” A small joking grin grew on his lips. 

 

“I see that,” The stranger chuckled, his chest that was rising and falling with each breath was hardly visible under his layers of clothing. “You’re also a dog, so I wouldn’t go around boasting too much.”

 

“Looks like we’ve got quite the astrology nerd here,” Sirius snorted, playfully jabbing back. “Here you are taking picks at my name and I haven’t even had the pleasure of knowing yours yet.” 

 

“Remus,” The midnight man - no, Remus - finally supplied. 

 

“Maybe one of these days you should invite Romulus here with you, I’d love to meet him,” Sirius teased even though he was still adjusting to putting a name to that ragged face. 

 

Remus rolled his eyes, the smallest of smiles gracing those chapped lips. “That was only fair, I guess.” 

 

Sirius went over to one of the chairs next to Remus’s, sitting down at the table. He ran a hand through his black hair, arching one brow that he knew used to drive all the ladies back at school crazy. However, Remus seemed unaffected by the notion and just stared outside the window as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. Maybe it was a little too blunt, maybe it was a little too forward, maybe it just was wrong altogether, but Sirius was known for being unfiltered and the next words just fell out, “So tell me your story, Midnight Man.” 

 

That seemed to catch Remus’s attention and draw his line of sight back to Sirius. “Pardon me, did you just call me… the Midnight Man?” There was confusion visible in his tone, but regardless an amused spark lit up those beautiful amber eyes. 

 

“I like to think that name is a fair assessment,” Sirius replied with a nonchalant shrug. “I mean, after all, the only time we ever manage to cross paths is at midnight.” 

 

Something in Remus’s expression darkened so subtly Sirius wasn’t sure if he was seeing things or not.  Whatever it was quickly was replaced with a small smile, “You’re not wrong. I guess I’m a bit of a night owl.” 

 

Sirius’s smirk grew, “That would make two of us, mate.” He preferred the night scene by far. Nothing compared to dancing under the stars, whiskey in hand, and all cares in the world set free. 

 

Remus returned the grin before turning his head in the general direction of the clock. “It’s officially after closing time, isn’t it? I should be letting you go, you probably can’t wait to head back home and relax.” 

 

“You’re not wrong there. I’m basically lusting after my bed right now,” Sirius joked, sitting up and stretching. Once he was up, he flipped the chair onto the table. “Look, don’t scurry out so soon. Why don’t I make you a coffee on the house?” Something about Remus made him want to always shower him in free stuff. Even though Sirius didn’t know what his deal was, he felt a strong primal urge to make sure he went off with  _ something _ . Maybe it was the dirty and baggy clothing, maybe it was the other’s hollowed cheeks - whatever it was, Sirius just had an itching feeling Remus wasn’t the type to be able to afford the luxury of coffee very often. 

 

“That’s too kind of y-” 

 

Sirius silenced Rem with one finger in the air before he even dared to finish, “Nope, nope. Not of that humble bullshit. You’re going to take a coffee and you’re going to like it.” 

 

There was a silence as Sirius went behind the counter, and for a moment he feared that his playful comment had been taken in the wrong way. Then something beautiful happened.  Shoulders heavy with oversized clothing began to move up and down, the air filling with the sound of a husky chuckle. Remus’s face as screwed up slightly, “Alright, alright.” He lifted his hands up in the air, displaying a sign of defeat. 

 

“Now that’s what I like to hear,” Sirius commented as the machines started to whirr as they came alive. After a few more minutes, he was returning to where Remus was sitting, a creamy vanilla coffee mixture in tow. “I decided to whip up a special treat for you. You strike me as the unbearably-sweet-vanilla coffee kind of man.” 

 

“Do I now?” Remus asked, a hint of amusement in his voice that Sirius wasn’t sure if he liked or not. “Thank you,” He took the drink, taking a small sip. “It’s good, but honestly, I’m more of an unbearably-sweet-chocolate coffee kind of man.” 

 

“Considerably noted,” Sirius replied, mentally vowing to remember that. “How about this, you stop in at midnight, I whip something up for you, and you can provide me some company for the last bit of my shift. Does that sound like a doable deal?” 

 

“Very doable.”

 

* * *

  
  


For the following weeks, both men stuck to their word. Sirius would prepare a chocolate flavored coffee five minutes before midnight. Then, right on the dot, Remus would waltz into the shop to the one table that was left unstacked. 

 

During this extent of time, Sirius learned he could confidently make a list of things that he learned about Remus. So much, in fact, he actually  _ did.  _ One boring August afternoon, he was scribbling on the back of a receipt and thus ‘Mission: Midnight Man’ was born. 

 

_ Mission: Midnight Man _

  1. He likes chocolate. A lot. 
  2. His full name is Remus John Lupin 
  3. Only owns like two different outfits. 
  4. He’s cute when he laughs. 
  5. Big literacy nerd. 
  6. Mother is dead. Father is ???? 
  7. Mysterious essence about him. 



 

Sirius was aware that the list didn’t look like much, but his workspace was limited to the back of a receipt and that didn’t generally allow much room for detailed thoughts. He looked over the list before being brought out of his thoughts by the sound of chatter. A decently sized group of people walked into the shop, talking loudly amongst themselves. 

 

With resignation audible in his tone, he sighed under his breath. He made his way to the counter and greeted them with the biggest, most Sirius-Black-esque grin. “Welcome to Grimmauld’s Cafe!”  _ The best place to go for overpriced coffee,  _ he thought in the back of his mind. He hated everything about this damn shop his parents raised him in. The only thing that made the whole ordeal tolerable was the presence of a certain man at an unspeakably late hour.

 

* * *

 

Just on time, a heavy glass door swung open, and both by the sound of the wind whirling and the bells above, Sirius found himself alerted of Remus’s arrival. “Not a minute past midnight, as usual, I applaud your time management skills,” 

 

“I could say the same,” Remus replied, making his way to the table by the door that was already all set up. There were two coffees on the flat surface, “You always manage to have the treat ready before I walk in.” 

 

“I know, it’s one of the side-effects of being cool - always managing to impress handsome strangers,” Sirius replied casually. For the past few days, he had been slipping in little flirtations in hopes to get a good feel for how he reacted to them. On cue, Remus turned a bright shade of red and moved awkwardly, visibly skittish about receiving compliments revolving around his appearance. 

 

Remus chuckled slowly, his gloved hand wrapping around the coffee cup. “I bet you tell that to all the boys who come into your shop at midnight,” 

 

“I do,” Sirius confirmed with a small grin, “After all, you  _ are _ the only man who does.” 

 

Remus just smiled at this and shook his head, “I’m honestly flattered.” 

 

“You should be,” Sirius retorted playfully, taking a small drink of his own coffee. His eyes never left Remus as he did so, taking in all the features. There was something alluring about the stranger. Scars littered his face, and he wore heavy, dirty clothing… but he had intelligent eyes, and characteristics unaltered by drug use. When he talked, it was never slurred, it was always something witty and sharp that came out instead. If Sirius closed his eyes, he could imagine he was talking to a young and smart university-bound man. However, what he saw instead was a tired, dirty, and mistreated man with wasted potential. Time after time, Sirius had tried finding out anything he could about the situation, but Remus had always managed to divert it. 

 

“So, I was thinking,” Sirius began, holding his hand up to stop Remus before he could make a joke about that statement, “Tonight, it’s pretty windy out, and I’m positive it’ll be considered a crime if I don’t walk you back to your house.” 

 

Remus’s face paled at the offer, “Oh, no, no, it’s alright. You’re really doing enough for me already, and a little wind has never stopped me before.” 

 

“It really wouldn’t be a problem,” Sirius shrugged it off, secretly just curious about seeing where Remus lived. Maybe it was a little bit creepy that he was pushing that, but subtly, once again, was never one of his strong suits.  

 

There was a pause, and Sirius was almost certain Remus would use a deflective technique to change the subject. But then he didn’t. “I don’t think where I’m staying would really impress you that much…” He admitted. 

 

“No matter what, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Sirius reassured, noticing the uncertainty in those amber eyes. “Look, how about we do this first? I tell you a secret, then you tell me one?” He offered, hoping that would lessen the tension and ease them into things. 

 

“What’s your secret?” Remus wondered, tilting his head to the side. “That you don’t wake up with your hair that naturally perfect?” He teased playfully. 

 

Sirius lifted up his pointer finger, “For your information, I do wake up with my hair this perfect. Secondly, no, it’s actually something more serious.” He dropped the joking tone, as did Remus. There was an awkward silence as he contemplated how he was going to work such of a serious topic into their conversation. “Look, I know we’ve never really delved into this before, and I’m not exactly the best with words. I know we aren’t like, conventional friends, I guess. I don’t really know a lot of things, but one thing I know for a fact is that I want to get closer with you. I like you, Remus.” 

 

Sirius put a hand on Remus’s thigh. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think… before our friendship can really deepen, we need to take the next step to really show we can trust each other.” He was putting himself out on a whim and just sheerly hoping that it wouldn’t bite him in the ass. “I guess I can tell you the story of this cafe, and why I work here, and all of that shit.” Before he could continue, he looked up to see how the other man was handling the information. He seemed impassive, his lips pursed slightly, but he maintained contact as if he was silently urging Sirius to go on. 

 

“Look, my parents are kinda fucked up. Actually, scratch that. They’re really fucked up,” Sirius scoffed, shaking his head. “My dad is a businessman and he owns a lot of places in this city… This cafe included. I know it doesn’t look like much, but a few decades ago it was really booming and my mother usually sent me here to talk with my dad about my future in business,” He scoffed and shook his head. “I could care less about business, but it’s just what the most ancient and boring blah blah blah house of the Black does. We force small companies out of business to buy their buildings, jack up prices, and just generally be boring, manipulative assholes.” 

 

“Well, my dear old dad didn’t really take well to it when I told him that I didn’t want to follow his footsteps. I’ve personally always wanted to be a musician,” Sirius smiled fondly at the idea. He had grown up listening to records of some of his favorite singer. He used to drum his desk with pencils, pretending to be a part of a big rock band as a child. “I always thought it was kinda punk rock, you know?” He chuckled. 

 

“Very,” Remus responded, a ghost of a smile residing on those pretty chapped lips of his. 

 

“Anyways,” Sirius said with a dramatic flair, “He really didn’t approve of it. Neither did mum. Naturally, I didn’t really give a shit what they thought anyway. Abusive assholes,” He spat, “But they cut me off from their bank account, and they refuse to reconnect me until I agree to pursue a life in business. In this hellhole of a town we live in, the only place I could really get a job is here. I did a lot of things I’m not exactly the proudest of when I first went off my own.  A shady town, I’m telling you.” 

 

Remus was wearing a sympathetic expression, “You can say that again,” He lowered his coffee that definitely had to be almost drained by now. “But I’m really sorry, it doesn’t sound like you’ve had the easiest life.” 

 

“A wise man once told me that an easy life isn’t punk rock,” Sirius confirmed, standing up and throwing out his empty cup. 

 

“And who exactly said that?” 

 

“Me, of course.” Sirius chuckled, going behind the counter and into the small room in the back. He grabbed his leather jacket and tugged it on before walking to Remus. “Now, as we were saying? What’s your pretty little secret?” 

 

“I really couldn’t call it pretty,” Remus said, standing up. He was always considerate enough to clean up the table and put his chair back on it before he left. “You… Do you really want to know something about me? Promise that it won’t change your opinion of me.” 

 

Sirius held one hand over his heart, “I solemnly swear you can even tell me you murdered a man and I wouldn’t change my opinion of you.” Maybe that was a bit of a stretch, but he hoped his point got across regardless. 

 

Remus played with a strand on his coat, avoiding Sirius’s eyes as he finally revealed a big truth about himself. “I’m homeless. My mom died when I was young, and my dad and I never really got along that well. He’s a good man and all, but we just could never see eye to eye on anything. I graduated from high school and decided that I’d go off into the city. I’d find a job, a small flat, and everything would be okay.” He shook his head, “I was naive.” 

 

“Tuition for college is high, and I didn’t really have a lot of money I could spend on it. I could have asked for my dad for help, but we’ve never exactly been the richest family. So, I decided I’d set off to live in a small flat and get a job that I could live off of. It worked for a little, I found a flat - unfortunately, had roommates that were roaches, but it was something. Then, I found work in a nice little bookshop. The old woman who ran it was really nice. Things just weren’t great, though. My landlord, Fenrir Greyback, was creepy, always trying to lure me into paying rent with unconventional means. I was just hoping to save up to eventually move out so I never had to cross paths with him.” 

 

Remus sighed warily, looking slightly pale at the memory of the man. “Just as I was starting to gather up a decent sum, the owner of the bookshop I worked at passed away. Shortly later, it shut down and was eventually replaced by a  laundromat. I had no real choice but to take my savings and leave my flat. I’ve been living on the streets for a month or so now, just trying to find a job. You even said it yourself, running into a unicorn is more likely than finding a job in this city these days.” 

 

Sirius nodded and reached out, grasping Remus’s elbow firmly and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m sorry you had to go through that all. It fucking sucks.” He opened the door for Remus, wrinkling his nose as he was hit with a strong gust of wind. His black hair swayed behind him as he stepped out into the sidewalk. “Look, maybe if you want, you could show me where you usually camp out at? Then maybe you can stay the night at my house.” 

 

“You trust me enough to offer that?” Remus asked, “What if I’m some kind of... I don’t know… serial killer, or creepy fuck?” 

 

“Then I guess I’m screwed then,” Sirius answered with an amused chuckle, slowing down so that Remus could take control and lead them to where he usually slept. Conveniently, it seemed to be in the general direction that his house was located which was a big bonus. 

 

After a few more minutes, they finally reached an alleyway. Garbage cans were pushed against the brick walls, and there was a small indent in the wall where a door used to be. Hidden behind the garbage cans were bottles of water, a first aid kit, and a few books.  One blanket and a worn-out mattress were sprawled in that tiny indent. “Welcome to my home, don’t mind the mess,” Remus said, a little playful sarcasm hidden in his voice as he motioned to the trash that was littered down the damp brick street. 

 

“Sorry to break it to you, but nope. This is not your home anymore.” Sirius shook his head, just refusing to let a friend live in such conditions. “I have a perfectly fine house - minus a few electrical issues- that has a space that is basically calling your name.” 

  
“Siri-” 

 

“Nope. Don’t even try to start,” Sirius knew that Remus would go into some long speech about how it was ‘fine’ and he ‘didn’t need to’. “Look, I’m saying it’s okay. You say you’re fine, but clearly this far from it.” He shook his head. “So why don’t you grab your stuff and we can be off?” 

 

Remus gave a small smile, “Thank you… really... It does mean a lot.” He scurried to grab everything minus the mattress. Sirius took the blanket for him, and together they headed off to his house. All it took was a few steps before Sirius stopped. He hadn’t even noticed, but they were  _ really _ close to where he lived. 

 

His eyes flashed to the dirty first aid kit Remus was holding, and suddenly an event from a week or two came suddenly back. Sirius paused, arching a brow and looking over at him, “Look, I know this is going to be a bit of a stretch, and you’re probably going to think I’m insane… but something really weird happened recently. This one night I was really, really drunk, and I was making my way home and I-” 

 

Remus cut Sirius off with a startling chuckle. “-And you were being super loud? Cursing so loud that everyone in the town could hear that you cut yourself? Yeah, that might ring a bell or two. You seemed really pissed, and I thought I might as well share the bandages because I didn’t want you to use, I don’t know, some kind of leftover food as a substitute in your drunken state.” 

 

“I would have done no such thing,” Sirius denied before reaching out and giving Remus a quick hug. It hurt his heart he didn’t smell or feel like the comfort Sirius knew that Remus stood for. All he needed was a shower and a makeover, and everything would fall into place, he just knew it. “But thank you for that, I do appreciate it.” 

 

“Of course,” Remus responded, stopping right outside of Sirius’s house when they arrived. 

 

“How about you go and take a shower, and I’ll prepare a bed and some extra clothing for you, alright?” Sirius offered, walking in and shutting the door behind them. He kicked off his boots and threw his leather jacket lazily at his couch. “The bathroom is down the hall there,” He pointed to the right room. “There’s soap, shampoo, anything you could want. Oh, and hot water is right, cold water is left.” 

 

“I appreciate it, a lot,” Remus said, going towards the bathroom and shyly walking into it. 

 

“Oh, and before you start undressing…” Sirius began, heading towards his own bedroom. He flicked on the lights and went to his closet. He pulled out a pair of jeans and an old band t-shirt, and a pair of boxers he hadn’t worn yet. “Here you go,” He handed it to Remus.

 

* * *

 

For the next thirty minutes, Sirius sat on his bed, threatening to doze off every few seconds. However, he was snapped out of his tired trance when he heard the sound of the shower turning off. He blinked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up in his bed. He crawled off the mattress, deciding he’d let Remus sleep in there and he’d take the couch for the night. 

 

Just as he was exiting his room, Remus was exiting the bathroom, and suddenly everything stopped. Sirius’s heart skipped a beat in his chest as he looked at the man, all cleaned up. His golden curls were wet, falling perfectly along his clean, pale face. Now that dirt wasn’t covering the skin, a light path of freckles across his cheeks was visible. The band tee hung loosely on his small frame, but the jeans actually rode a little bit higher than his ankles. 

 

Sirius’s face turned a dark red, “You clean up nice.” 

 

Remus colored the same shade and awkwardly stuck his hands in his pant pockets, swaying back and forth. “Thanks, I really do appreciate all of this…” 

 

“I know, you’ve said it at least a million times,” Sirius chuckled, looking over the other and making a promise to himself. He’d offer Remus a position at the cafe tomorrow, and things would be settled out. 

 

Until then, he’d have to take things one day at a time. Was Remus a serial killer with intentions of murdering him in his sleep? Unlikely, but he didn’t know. Was Remus just going to use him and then leave when he finally got steady ground? Unlikely, but he didn’t know. All that Sirius knew was that the midnight man, that weird shadowy figure that came bursting into his cafe all that time ago, was magnetic. Life wasn’t worth living if you didn’t take a risk every once and awhile. 

  
  
Inhaling deeply, fantasies of what the future could be present in his mind, Sirius motioned to his bedroom. “You can sleep here for the night..” 

 

And he did. 

 

And suddenly, in the morning when Sirius went to check on him, he wasn’t the midnight man anymore. The light of the day hit his face just right, illuminating that handsome face, and instantly he was so much more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh I'm not exactly the happiest with this came out because I wanted to tell so much more but my schedule didn't really allow it. I think I'm going to create a small sequel to this sometime!


End file.
